Electric-motor truck.



- PAT ENTED MAY 21, 1907.

B. R. VAN KIRK.

ELECTRIC MOTOR TRUCK.

APILIGATION FILED NOV.30, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca., \vAsHINcTDN. n. c.

No. 854,442. PATENTED MAY 21, 1907. B. R. VAN KIRK'.

ELECTRIC MOTOR TRUCK. 7

APPLICATION III-ED NOV. 30, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7519x9869? h I beyond the wheel base of the truck and ordi- IQINITED STATES ATENT @FICE. BENJAMIN R. vAN KIRK, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BURNHAM, WILLIAMS & ooMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, A FIRM.

ELECTRIC-MOTOR TRUCK- Specification of Letters Patent.

No. 854,442. Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed November 30,1906- Serial No. 345,726.

To rtZZ whom it may concern: I ti n of the motor c i Be it known that I, BENJAMIN R. VAN hung to the bars KIRK, a citizen of the United States, residing ,l suitable manner. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invent- The arms 6 of the beams extend toward ed certain Improvements in Electric-Motor l the center of the truck frame and carry the Trucks, of which the following is a specificaspring seats f which support the springs F tion. which in turn rest against the seatsf on the My invention relates to certain improveframe A. The seats 9 are carried by the ments in electric motor trucks in which the l arms 6 and support the springs G which motors are carried by the trucks and extend i rest against the seats g on the frame A, so beyond the wheel base of the truck. that there is aspring on each side of each box,

The main objects of my'invention are to i as indicated clearly in Fig. 1. relieve the outer portion of truck frame from It will be understood that I may use a sinthe support of the motors, and also to de gle beam for each box instead of a pair of crease the tilting effect on the frame due to beams, as shown, but I prefer to use the motor torque, by attaching the outer portion beams in pairs as it makes a more substanof the motors to equalizing beams which rest tial construction and allows for the proper upon the axle boxes. support of the spring seats. In this con- A further object of the invention is to so struction it will be noticed that the side construct the equalizing beams that the tracmembers of the frame A do not extend betion of both pairs of wheels of the truck will yond the seats g of the springs G, thus conbe about the same. siderably reducing the overhang of the side In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1, members of the truck frame. is a side view of my improved truck; Fig. 2, is By spacing the springs as indicated in Fig. a plan view; Fig. 3, is a perspective of one pair 1, so that the spring G is nearer the box than of equalizing beams, and Fig. 4, is a view of a the spring E, I equalize the pressure upon modification. the beams on each side of the box, as the A is the frame of the truck which may be weight of the motor case is considered in 10- of any type desired, a,aare pedestals, in the eating the springs F and G. By this arpresent instance of wrought metal and bent rangement, I also avoid to a great extent the at the upper ends as shown and spaced by a efiect of the tendency of the torque of the block (1 the two sets of pedestals are conmotors to relieve the pressure on one pair of nected together by the tie rod a wheels and increase it on the other, as the B, B are the axles, I), b are the wheels. equalizing beams transfer this tendency to The axles are mounted in the boxes C adaptless effective points. This causes a more ed to the pedestals a, a. nearly equal distribution of the weight 'upon D, D are the electric motor casings mountthe rails and consequent increase in available ed in the usual'manner on the axles B, B the adhesion and tractive power. motors being geared to the axles. In Fig. 2, the end c of each equalizing It will be noticed that each motor extends beam is bent, but in Fig. 4, I have shown it extending straight from the box and a strap G used to support the spring G.

I claim 1. The combination in a truck, of a frame, axle boxes carried by the frame, axles mounted in the said boxes, a motor mounted on one of said axles and extending beyond the wheel base of the truck, an equalizing beam on each side of the truck, each beam being mounted on an axle box, one arm of each beam supporting the overhanging portion of the motor, and a spring for counterbalancing the motor, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a car truck, of a The casing can be or attached thereto in any narily these overhanging portions are hung from the frame of the truck.

In carrying out my invention I mount two sets of equalizing beams E, E on each side of the truck. The beams of each set are spaced a given distance apart and the side members of the frame A of the truck extend between the beams, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The beams extend over the boxes as illustrated and the portions 6 rest directly upon the boxes. The arms 6 extend outward and are coupled by links 0 to the cross bars E these cross bars support the overhanging porframe, boxes in the frame, axles mounted in the boxes, a motor carried by each axle, each motor extending beyond the wheel base of the truck, one in one direction and the other in the opposite direction, an equalizing beam mounted on each side of the truck, the beams supporting the overhanging portions of the motors mounted on the axles, a counterbal ancing spring mounted between one arm of the lever and the frame of the truck, the levers supporting the two motors being independently mounted on the truck frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a car truck, of a frame, boxes mounted in the frame, axles mounted'in the boxes, a motor carried on one of the axles and extending beyond the wheel base, two equalizing beams one on each side of the frame and mounted on the boxes carried by the axles supporting the motor, a cross bar extending from one beam to the other, the overhanging portion of the motor being carried by said bar, and a spring between each beam and the frame on the opposite side of the box, substantially-as described.

4E. The combination in a car truck, of a frame, boxes in the frame, axles mounted in the boxes, a motor casing carried by one of said axles and overhanging the wheelbase of the truck, beams resting on the boxes, a spring on each side of the box mounted between the beam and the frame of the truck, the overhanging portion of the motor being supported by said beams, substantially as described.

5 The combination in a car truck, of a frame, axle boxes, axles mounted in the boxes, wheels on the axles, a motor casing carried by each axle, each motor casing extending beyond the wheel base, two sets of equalizing beams, one set mounted on the boxes of one axle and the other set mounted on the boxes of the other axle, the overhanging portions of the motor being carried by their respective beams, and springs on each side of the boxes between the beams and the frame, the spring on the motor side being nearer the box than the spring on the opposite side, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a car truck, a frame, axle boxes in the frame, axles mounted in the boxes, a motor mounted on one of the axles and extending beyond the wheel base of the truck, a pair of beams on each side of the truck, the beams of each pair arranged side by side and spaced apart, the frame extending between the beams of each pair, a bar extending across the truck and attached to each pair of beams, seats carried by each pair of beams, and springs mounted between the seats and the frame, the overhanging portion of the motor being carried by the cross bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN R. VAN KIRK.

Witnesses:

Jos. H. KLEIN, M. A. BARR. 

